Without a jack you do not need to drive at all, and this is an obvious fact. Each driver must have in his trunk such a device, which in the case of a punctured wheel or something else will help out exactly. If you do not already have one, then you need to choose. But since there are so many, it can be very difficult, especially if you are a beginner. First you need to understand how automobile jacks are classified. Which one to choose is up to you. But let's get it in order.
General concepts and classification
To lift a load of a certain weight to a height, usually small, you will need to use a jack. Units are classified depending on how the lifting mechanism is driven. All car jacks can conditionally be divided into three large groups: mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic. Mechanical devices are the simplest. These jacks are equipped with all vehicles coming off the assembly line. They are lever and folding. The latter are extremely relevant today. Firstly, they are very reliable, and secondly, this is one of the best solutions for servicing vehicles weighing up to 2 tons. With hydraulics, everything is somewhat different. This kind of jack is quite heavy due to the presence of a hydraulic cylinder with a working fluid. At the same time, such a device lifts a fairly large machine. There are telescopic and rolling, a little later we will consider each species. Let's take a closer look at car jacks. Which one to choose, we also decide based on the capabilities and characteristics of the devices.
Mechanical jacks
Mechanical devices were very popular in the USSR, but even now it is often possible to find such an assembly on the shelves of a store, only of a new type. At one time it was a guarantee of reliability. Nothing worked for such a long time and quality, like a mechanic. For example, car jacks are considered one of the most popular in this group. They are divided into two types: lever and gear. The fundamental differences are that there is a rack with teeth and a rail, which is fixed on the rack. Cargo retention is realized by ratchet with a dog. The handle lifts. It is worth paying your attention to the fact that such units are very rarely broken, since they are extremely simple. The carrying capacity is from 2 to 20 tons. In fact, these are very reliable car jacks. Which one to choose, you ask? Be guided by the work performed and the weight of the vehicle.
Car screw jacks: features and advantages
Such units are widely used in construction, during repair, as well as installation and dismantling works. This is a good solution if you need to place the load on a rotating heel (top) or on a paw (bottom). Screw jacks can be considered regular for a large number of cars. The carrying capacity of such a device is about 15 tons. Let's take a quick look at the device. We have one or more lifting screws that are placed in a cylindrical body (base). A trapezoidal toothed nut extends or retracts screws depending on the direction of rotation. So the raising / lowering is carried out. It is safe to say that car screw jacks are very reliable, very strong and stable. Another advantage is that there is no need to use special stands. In some cases, you can talk about an uncomfortable handle, but this does not apply to all models.
Car bottle jacks
If we list all such devices that operate on hydraulics, then this type of units can be considered the most reliable and versatile. They can be telescopic or single rod (bottle). The latter are intended for installation and dismantling of equipment in any industry. From mechanical engineering and metallurgy to construction. Quite often, a bottle jack is used for auto repair at service stations. The carrying capacity of such an aggregate can fluctuate over a wide range from 2 to 200 tons. But it is worth paying your attention to the fact that the transportation of the bottle jack should be carried out only in an upright position, this is necessary so that the liquid does not leak out of the hydraulic cylinder. There are also telescopic jacks (2 rod). Their feature is the presence of a telescopic rod, which allows you to lift the load to a slightly higher height compared to the classic (bottle) version.
This is the most expensive type of jack, which is used today to lift the car and carry out emergency repairs. The device is quite simple. There is a flat rubber-cord shell made of high-strength fabric and a stationary compressor. Compressed air or gas is supplied from the latter, with which the shell is filled, increasing in height. Sometimes this is the only right decision. For example, if the distance between the load being lifted and the surface is minimal, then only a pneumatic jack will do. But such devices are not without drawbacks. Users, for example, do not always speak positively about automobile pneumatic jacks. Reviews of unsatisfied consumers are the unjustified high cost of the device, as well as the complexity of the design. In addition, such a jack poses a risk of deflating; it is also impossible to work with it with a stalled motor. Well, now let's look at a few more devices that are especially popular with motorists and not only.
Electric jack and its features
We can say with confidence that this is an option for the most lazy. You don’t have to do anything at all. Nevertheless, this is hardly a topical solution if you have a wheel break through somewhere in the wasteland. Finding a socket there will be problematic. Therefore, this solution is suitable for use in a garage, at a service station, etc. Although if your battery is really nothing, then you can connect a wire to it. The current consumption is less than 20 A. But all this is limited by the fact that the car jack does not lift more than 2 tons. Although the height is very impressive - 43 centimeters. The principle of operation of the device is somewhat similar to a mechanical jack, but instead of a lever there is a power motor and gearbox. Through the gearbox, rotation is transmitted to the screw, which, in turn, raises and lowers the load. The jack is suitable for work in severe weather conditions, so performing the necessary repairs in rain, snow or frost will not be a problem. The unit platform is solid and stable, but this entails an increased mass of the product, which, in principle, is not significant. Based on this, we can say that an electric car jack is not a bad decision, but it can not always help out on the road.
The rhombic jack
The product belongs to the group of mechanical devices. Let's take a quick look at the design. As the supporting elements, we have four levers forming a rhombus between each other. They are naturally pivotally fixed. The rise is carried out by changing the angle between the rhombuses, which is achieved by rotating the screw. All that is required of you is to put the jack in the right place and rotate the handle. The main advantage is that you do not need to make much effort. In addition, the support platform provides sufficient stability of the device to work not only on a solid surface, although much depends on the manufacturer. In principle, rhombic car jacks are inexpensive, but at the same time quite high-quality devices with small dimensions. If you need to raise the load to 2 tons, then this is the perfect solution.
Rolling jacks
Of course, one cannot fail to say about such popular hydraulic devices. They got their name for a reason. The fact is that the design of the jack is such that you roll it under the car, for which there are two or 4 rollers on the device. Further, the handle is used to raise / lower. There are special low profile options. They are suitable when the vehicle clearance is low. In principle, hydraulic rolling jacks (low-profile) can be a good replacement for pneumatic devices, only in this case you will have to pay a lot less. In most cases, the weight of the device does not exceed 15 kilograms with a carrying capacity of 2.5-3 tons.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a wide variety of car jacks. Which one to choose is your business. If you want to get a repairable unit and at the same time very reliable and inexpensive, then give preference to mechanical devices. If you appreciate the speed of the repair work being performed, and the accuracy of raising / lowering is also important for you, then you can safely purchase hydraulic devices. As for pneumatics, today such jacks are not yet widely used, but sometimes they are extremely necessary. In any case, try not to lift the jack more than necessary, and it will serve you for a very long time without breakdowns.